After going 3-9 in 2025, Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET) is the first chance for Syracuse football fans to get a look at the 2026 squad. After getting spring practices underway in March, the Orange conclude their spring session with an intersquad game in front of fans inside the JMA Wireless Dome.

While not all fans pay attention to the spring calendar, this one has not been without storylines for Syracuse. The biggest of which is five-star wide receiver prospect Calvin Russell III suffering a torn Achilles tendon. As a result, his status for the upcoming season is still yet to be determined. Earlier this month, our own Brady Farkas discussed the impact what Russell's injury means for the team.

Here are the top storylines as we see them:

The quarterback snap count is the most intriguing thing to look for. Will Steve Angeli see any action on Saturday night after tearing his Achilles last season? Will head coach Fran Brown and his staff be cautious, or will Angeli be given 5-10 plays? Is it possible that Malachi Nelson, a former No. 1 overall recruit at the quarterback position and recent transfer portal addition, could get the most snaps under center Saturday night? 

The Orange lost six wide receivers to the transfer portal and have seen Russell go down for several months. Will Umari Hatcher stand out on Saturday? Or will it be a new addition to the team? The Orange added Elijah Moore from Florida State and Cole Weaver from Miami of Ohio in the offseason. Matthew Outten from Penn State is also a newcomer.

After covering the team in person this spring, it was clear that Brown's level of intensity was constantly high. Will that same energy be felt by players, fans and coaches on Saturday?

It was a rare sight to see players wearing numbers in the 100's during spring ball. Will Brown continue to use that method? The thought is that players have to earn their numbers, something we've seen from other programs in the past.

With a tripleheader scheduled for this Saturday in the Dome, could this be the most attended spring ball game during Brown's tenure?

Before the football team takes the field, the third-ranked Syracuse women's lacrosse team will host the No. 19 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The matchup marks the final home game for the Orange's senior class. Faceoff is set for noon ET.

Following the matchup this weekend, Syracuse will travel to Chestnut Hill to take on Boston College on Thursday .The regular season finale is set for 5:30 p.m. ET.

-Syracuse men's lacrosse will also be at home as they take on the 15th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers. The No. 5 Orange will honor Coach John Desko with induction into the Ring of Honor. Faceoff is set for 4 p.m. ET.

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